The British Horn Society - News Archive 2005

Jim Dowling

Jim Dowling died on February 4th, 2005, aged 73. Although always known as Jim from his childhood, he was in fact born Alfred William Dowling, on May 28th.1931, in Redhill, Surrey. Jim took up the horn at school, a piston valve French Horn with an F crook, and began lessons in June 1943, with Ted Lorentsen. He joined the Band of the Royal Marines aged 16, in 1947, serving for a while on the aircraft carrier, Ark Royal. He even boxed for the Marines when he was stationed at Chatham Barracks.

After some time attached to the Royal New Zealand Navy band, Jim bought himself out of the Service in 1958 and won a London County Council Scholarship, to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, with Francis Bradley. He began getting deputy work in the ' musicals ' scene in London's West End, and was the hornplayer for the first London production of Lionel Bart's, 'Oliver', in 1960/61. After some private lessons with Neill Sanders, Jim was appointed Solo Horn of the long-gone B.B.C. Scottish Variety Orchestra, based in Glasgow, from 1961 to 1963, and moved over to the B.B.C. Scottish Orchestra, as it was then called, as Third Horn, from 1963 to 1970. By this time, Jim was using a Kruspe compensating horn. From Scotland Jim and his family moved to Liverpool, where he was Third Horn in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra from 1970 to 1975 and Principal from 1975 to 1988. Sadly, due to ill health, Jim resigned from the orchestra in 1988, but still played first horn with the semi-professional, Liverpool Mozart Orchestra until 1999.

He and his wife decided to move down to Lincolnshire into semi-retirement, but still found time to teach at a music school in Italy, where they had a second home and was the Brass and Percussion Coach for the Young Musicians International Symphony Orchestra , until summer 2004, when cancer was diagnosed. A proud, tough and immaculately tidy man, Jim once wrote this about his chosen career. "The hornplayer drives along, meeting obstacles along the way - he avoids them and carries on, a wiser man!"

Angela Barnes has been appointed as second horn of the London Symphony Orchestra - the first ever woman in the LSO horn and brass section. She went to Chetham's School, Manchester, studying horn with Lizzie Davis, and continued her studies at the Guildhall in London, studying with Hugh Seenan, Jeff Bryant and Richard Bissill. Angela is a former principal horn with the National Youth Orchestra and the European Union Youth Orchestra, and was a finalist in the 2002 BBC Young Musician competition.

After 30 years as Fifth Horn in the BBC Philharmonic, David Garbutt retired at the end of December, 2004. Born in County Durham, David moved to Blackburn at the age of nine. When he was fourteen he began to play the horn, having lessons (in common with several other distinguished players) from the legendary Robert (Bob) Aspden. At the Northern School of Music, in Manchester, (where he was a contemporary of BHS Horn Player Editor Paul Kampen) he studied with Julian Baker, who was then a very young Principal in the Halle, and Ken Monks. Four years of peripatetic brass teaching in the East Riding of Yorkshire followed before David turned his attention to full time playing.

During his years at the BBC David maintained an active career as a soloist, playing a wide and varied repertoire but with a particular love of neglected baroque music with stratospheric horn parts (the late, great Martin Shillito once remarked that David was the only player he knew whose sound became bigger the higher above top C he played!).

Away from horn playing, David is passionate about all aspects of cricket. He played in the orchestra team for twenty years, his painfully slow progress around the studio on the day following a match more than adequate testament to his enthusiasm on the field! A determined accumulator of runs rather than flamboyant stroke maker, his proudest achievement was undoubtedly his century, scored against the CBSO in 1991. David also enjoys tennis and cycling, the latter despite a seemingly never-ending search to find a saddle that does not leave him with a sore posterior after a long day on the road!

Although he has retired from the orchestra, David will continue his teaching at Manchester Grammar School and York University and also do some freelance playing. Most importantly, he is looking forward to having more time to devote to his role as an Elder in his local church.

Ifor James, 1931 - 2004

The famed French Horn player Ifor James died at his home in Titisee-Neustadt near Freiburg, Germany, on 23rd December 2004. He had been an astounding survivor of cancer for many years. Anthony Morris writes:

I first met Ifor about 30 years ago when I was a young horn student in London. My fellow students and I were in awe of this man with "chops of steel" and a seemingly unattainable technique. We would follow him around to concerts where he would play not one, but all four Mozart Horn Concertos in one concert without cracking a note, and throwing in the fragment from the fifth concerto for good measure. One of his most memorable party pieces being the Csárdás by Monti, (yes, it's difficult enough on the violin). His musicianship was astounding with his recording of the second Richard Strauss Concerto being one of the best available.

I met up with Ifor again about 5 years ago here in Germany after he had started playing horn again, defiantly intent on not giving in to his illness. We made some recordings with Ifor conducting some of his pupils including Gregory Cass (Solo Horn, Orchestra of the Swiss Romande in Geneva) and Frank Lloyd (international soloist and Professor at the Folkwang-Hochschule in Essen).

Ifor expressed a desire to make a "teaching lecture on video" so that "a future generation of students could see how he had managed it with the last lot" so we sat down and taped some 6 hours of basic teaching of horn playing technique. These will be made available probably via edited short lectures on a website in the not too distant future with a polite request for donations to benefit his wife Helen who survives him.

In the last weeks, even whilst undergoing treatment, Ifor was busy finishing arrangements for new publications and generally getting his act together. After a few weeks in hospital Ifor returned home last week and seemed quite cheery when I spoke with him last Wednesday, after what he called, with customary joviality, "quite a late night out with friends down at the local restaurant". Typical Ifor, an infectiously happy chap who could entertain a full concert hall as easily as a table of guests energetically for a whole evening. Passionate about Football (soccer) he was a professional player of that sport for a short time in his youth.

Ifor's father was the top cornet player in Britain and his mother was Ena Mitchell, the soprano (one of the original soloists in Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Ode to Music"). Ifor himself started to play the cornet at the age of four, later taking up the piano and organ and becoming assistant organist at Carlisle Cathedral during his teens. It was in this period that he took up the horn, later entering the Royal Academy of Music as a pupil of Aubrey Brain (father of Dennis). His first professional appointment was with the Hallé Orchestra and after only two years he became principal horn with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 22.

In 1963 he moved to London and played principal horn with eventually all the leading orchestras before becoming a soloist. He subsequently was in great demand playing all over the world as well as developing a substantial discography, including 30 recordings as the horn player in the renowned Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. He was also for some years the principal conductor of the famous Besses o’th Barn Brass Band; under his baton they won the 1978 BBC Band of the Year Competition.

Ifor had a long and distinguished career as a teacher and he had been a professor of music at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. In 1980 he was appointed professor of horn and brass chamber music at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany. Ifor composed many works for the horn and published books on learning and playing the horn. Many composers dedicated works to Ifor.

Well over 100 of his pupils have become professional musicians, with over 30 of them currently principal horn players with orchestras not only in England but in Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Nine are now professors at music colleges around the world, two are the principals of German music colleges and a further six have a career as soloist. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland in 2003.

An inspiration, he will be very much missed.

There is a new website devoted to Ifor James at www.ifor-james.de

Horn Players - a species 'in the pink' Entering the doors of the West Park Centre in Leeds on the morning of July 7th, 2004 one could have been forgiven for thinking that young people are taking up horn playing in droves. Stephen Wild, horn specialist for Education Leeds (Artforms), had organised a day entitled ‘Northern Hornblowers’ which attracted 86 participants from all over the north of England - groups came from Leeds, The East Riding, Oldham, Calderdale, Wigan, Lincoln, York (and one lad from Clitheroe who heard about it via the Horn Player mag - isn't it nice when communication works!). There was also a party who made the journey up the M1 from Milton Keynes on what was not the best of days weather wise. Stephen had organised a very inventive day in which he was assisted by John Thornton (Principal horn of Northern Ballet and horn teacher at Huddersfield University), Barbara Maclaren (Lancashire based horn player and teacher), Barry Rickaby (well known Leeds jazz musician) Graham Walker (Head of Brass for Education Leeds Artforms) and Paul Kampen.

Paul Kampen left the Orchestra of Opera North during July 2004 after just short of 26 years as 4th horn. His last opera performance was of Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci at Sadlers Wells Theatre in London on June 25th; his last performance as a member of the orchestra was on July 17th with a BBC TV recording, entitled 'Lesley Garrett and Friends - Music from the Movies' at Temple Newsam in Leeds.

Paul was one of the first players appointed to the English Northern Philharmonia (as the Opera North orchestra was called for concert and recording engagements until two years ago) by David Lloyd-Jones at the foundation of Opera North in 1978. Besides editing The Horn Player, he is to continue as horn teacher for Leeds Music College and has been appointed horn tutor for the Education Leeds (Artforms) 'basslineplus' project. He will also continue working as a horn player in the north.

Bob Ashworth adds: As well as being a lynch pin of the section it has been a pleasure to have Paul, with all his enthusiasm, as a respected and loyal colleague for the last 25 years. Lots of things simply wouldn't have happened without him - i.e. most of the regional BHS events in the North. He keeps fairly quiet about all his other activities too - many contract negotiations and Musician's Union business went through Paul, in his capacity of Union Steward (probably for more years than he cares to remember) and all the members of the orchestra will never forget his unfailing sense of duty in this regard. Thanks Paul, for everything.

We announce the death of Philip Meiklejohn, (30/3/26 - 12/12/04) for many years a well known hornplayer in the Manchester area. Philip took up the horn later than most, being originally a trombone player of the band world in the Stoke area. Having had lessons on the horn from Otto Persch, he attended the RMCM to study horn with Sydney Coulston (1951 - 55). He was the last 4th horn with the Yorkshire Symphony, 1st Horn with the Manchester Mozart Orchestra and a free-lance player with major orchestras in the north, eventually working for the music authorities, West Riding Orchestra and Kirklees.

BHS Member Adrienne Fox wins international music prize. Adrienne, who lives in Skipton but spends half her year residing in France, entered the City of Girona Francesc Civil Music Award for Children's Wind Ensemble after seeing the competition in a music magazine in a library in France. Adrienne wrote a story called Techno Team about a family of computers who look after a real life family, together with the music to accompany it. The piece is for two sets of recorders, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and percussion.

Adrienne did not find out that she had won the prize, worth 1200 euros (£900), for several months. When she was eventually told she was delighted and said she "leapt around screeching". In May Adrienne will have the pleasure of seeing her creation performed in Girona, which lies North of Barcelona in Spain. Students from the Music School in Girona will perform the piece, including dance and drama. [Thanks to the ‘Craven Herald’ newspaper for this news item].

Mike Ogonovsky retired on 8th January 2006 after 44 years with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra horn section. Dave Pigott writes: Mike's mother was a singer with the Sadler's Wells Opera where she met the young conductor Charles Mackerras and repaired his swimming trunks whilst on tour! Aubrey Brain was at that time was playing fourth horn at the Wells and after hearing Mike play agreed to teach him at the Junior Royal Academy of Music. Mike later studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Charles Gregory, and was noticed by Sir Thomas Beecham when he came to conduct the Academy orchestra. This led to freelance work with the RPO and a private audition, playing Villanelle, accompanied by Sir Thomas. One of his first gigs was playing third horn in "The Most Happy Fella" at the Coliseum with Richard Merewether on second and Jim Buck Junior on first. It was here that he met his future wife Susan who was a dancer in the show. John Burden encouraged him to audition for the RLPO and (Sir) John Pritchard appointed him as first horn in 1961. He thought (as many of us did!) that he would stay in Liverpool for a few years and then go back to London - he never took that return journey and made his home on the Wirral with wife Susan and daughters Julia and Antonia.

Having a slightly odd surname, he has also been the subject of some funny mis-spellings, including Ogonbusky and O'Gonovsky, the famous Irish hornplayer. Mike has had an interesting and varied career in the orchestra. He was MU Steward for 25 years, Chairman of the orchestra committee and a member of the orchestra football, cricket, golf and squash teams - in fact anything with a pint at the end of it! In the horn section over this period he played in every seat, becoming permanent 4th horn in 1982.

The 6th Edinburgh Horn Jamboree took place on 18 September 2004 in Glasgow, and as usual there was a really good turnout. This year's Jamboree was geared mainly to the needs of younger players, and there were more than 30 under 14 year olds taking part. The players were divided into groups by age, and each group had two or three rehearsals with a professional player on an ensemble piece.

The under 12s were coached by Kenneth Blackwood, formerly of the RSNO. The emphasis here was on fun and it seemed that there was plenty of that happening. Throughout the day, when they weren't actually playing, there were groups, no, gangs of young horn players going around looking like they were really enjoying themselves and making new friends. Two local freelance players, Andy Saunders and Graeme Hodge, coached the middle age group. Again there was a lot of fun as well as the serious business of rehearsing an ensemble for the concert. The oldest group, 15yrs.and above was coached by Harry Johnstone from the Scottish Chamber Orchetra. They worked on an 8 horn arrangement of Tonight from West Side Story. We also had 2 tutti rehearsals conducted by Maurice Temple.

Throughout the day we had quartets being played in the foyer by a Vienna Horn group led by John Sharp, horn quartets from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and quartets and trios played by the students and various local pros who called in, in a free moment. Hugh Seenan did a masterclass on the Rondo from Mozart 4 with two young players; Jenni McGeoch a junior student at the RSAMD and David Janke from St.Mary's music school in Edinbugh. Hugh also did a short talk on breathing, posture and nerve control which I think a lot of the younger players really benefited from and maybe now will believe their teachers when they tell them that how you sit or stand and hold your bell really matters!

Although the day seemed short, there was also time to have a couple of rooms with natural horns, Vienna horns and Wagner Tubas which many had never seen close-up before. The day ended with a short concert that included an ensemble by each of the three age groups, two performances of the Mozart Rondo, a solo from Harry Johnstone on the Natural Horn, solos from Hugh Seenan and two tutti pieces. We finished off in true Jamboree tradition with The Pilgerchor from Tannhauser with about 50 players onstage ages from 9 to 60+.

Jacqueline Johnstone

Nigel Black has been appointed Head of Brass at the Royal College of Music. He took up his appointment in September 2004 but will still remain as Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Nigel studied the horn at the RCM with Douglas Moore.

Mark Almond has decided to go back to his medical studies at Oxford University. He has been third horn with the Philharmonia Orchestra for less than a year but he has found the calling back to medicine too strong to resist. "I’ve loved playing in the Philharmonia and I’m still not one hundred per cent sure I’m doing the right thing but I would still like to qualify as a doctor." He hopes to continue playing when time permits.

Jonathan Lipton, 4th Horn of the London Symphony Orchestra, has had his beloved Conn 28D stolen from his car. The Conn 28D has a screw bell with some patches on it, and the case is a new black Bonner design. If any one has any news of, or is offered, an instrument which fits the description of this horn, please contact Jonathan on 07930 380 808.

Richard Bissill, Principal Horn of the London Philharmonic Orchestra has written a new work for the London Symphony Orchestra - Sinfonia Concertante for Horn, Clarinet, Trumpet and Orchestra. It was performed at LSO concerts on September 29th and 30th 2004 at the Barbican Hall, London. Sir Colin Davis conducted the LSO with soloists David Pyatt on horn, Rod Franks Trumpet and Andrew Marriner Clarinet. The performance on the 29th was broadcast by the BBC. The music for this new work will be reviewed in the December 2004 issue of The Horn Player.

Congratulations from the BHS to David Pyatt and his wife Cathyon the birth of their new son Gordon - a brother for their daughter Iris.

The BBC Concert Orchestra’s long standing second horn, Adrian Norris, has retired after nearly thirty five years of horn playing service with the BBC. After studying at the Birmingham School of Music, Adrian progressed to the BBC Training Orchestra and then to the BBC Midland Light Orchestra, a big band with strings based at the BBC’s Pebble Mill studios with the rather peculiar job description of "Horn (other)". When the MLO was disbanded in 1973, Adrian moved to the BBC Concert Orchestra, originally as fourth horn then subsequently second, in a section led by John Tyler. In retirement from the BBC Adrian plans to carry on with his playing, both in amateur and professional capacities, as well as his many other interests which include marathon running and travelling.

Tom Rumsby has been appointed second horn with BBC Concert Orchestra. Tom is from Oxford were he had his first horn lessons with Paul Willet. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra and went on to study horn at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Hugh Seenan, Jeff Bryant, Richard Bissill and Tony Halstead. He freelanced in London for a few years and recently was the horn player in the London West End show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Tom is looking forward to his new position at the Beeb, but he will be taking a drop in salary for the love of his art - these days West End shows pay considerably better than most orchestras.

Alison Murray has been appointed fifth horn of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Alison, from Hartlepool, had her first horn lessons from Callum McKay and later Hugh Potts. She continued her studies at the Welsh College of Music in Cardiff, where she studied with Jim Beck and Bill Davis. She also took a one year course at the National College of Orchestral Studies in London. Alison is married to husband Eliot who is also a musician and they have two children, Rebecca aged 6 and Christopher aged 3. Alison has been a resident in Scotland since 1988 and she has played regularly with all the Scottish orchestras.

Phil Woods has joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as 3rd horn. Phil was born in South Africa, but his parents moved to Reading in the UK when he was 7 years old. His first horn teacher was Pip Eastop before he went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music with Richard Watkins and Michael Thompson. He has been freelancing in London for many years and he has played regularly with all the London Orchestras. He has also been a horn player in two London West End shows - Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat and Jesus Christ Superstar. Phil will join a line of many distiguished RPO 3rd horns, including Hugh Seenan, Frank Lloyd, Nigel Black, Laurence Rogers, Paul Gardham and Roger Clark.

Tim Jackson has resigned as third horn with Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Tim has been with the ROH for five years but now wishes to pursue other musical interests with his horn playing and composition. "I had a great time at the ROH and I will have very fond memories of playing operas like Strauss’s Rosenkavalier with Christian Thielmann." The BHS has asked Tim to compose a new work for its 25th anniversary in 2006.

BHS Vice-Chairman Simon de Souza joined the horn teaching team at Birmingham Conservatoire from September 2004. Simon, already well-known as a teacher from his work at The Purcell School, Wells Cathedral School and the Junior department of the Royal Academy of Music, says he is particularly looking forward to working with fellow BHS committee members Pete Dyson and Angus West, and with his former pupil City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Principal Elspeth Dutch, to develop the work of the Department. Michael Thompson is the Consultant Horn Professor at the Conservatoire. Auditions for the Conservatoire will be held on October 1st and Dec 10th, and the next Open Day will be on Jan 20th 2006.

The universe is horn-shaped - official. This will not of course come as a surprise to horn enthusiasts, but according to Frank Steiner at the University of Ulm in Germany the whole universe is horn-shaped. The bore hasn't yet been measured, though our guess would be large. This new theory overtakes the old 'soccer ball-shaped' idea.

Image of Horn-shaped Universe from the New Scientist

Diagram copyright New Scientist magazine - full story at http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994879

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